The National tribune., 1887-02-10
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study OF the Inter
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed fol
Feb. 20. Gen., Is {: 23-SS.

SUBJECT: ABRAHAM INTERCEDING FOR SoDoM.
God first appeared to Abram when he was 20
years old, living at Ur. (15:7.) The second
appearance was five years afterward, C2: 1-i,)
at Haran. 1t is not distinctly stated that God
met Abram at Haran, but we have great reason
for supposing he did. "Had sale" " (12: II simply
connects the interview at Ur with that at
Haran. The Revised Edition omits the had"
and so makes the interview at Haran actual,
and thus separates it from that at Ur Gods
third interview with Abram was at Sichem,
(12:6, ~ and was only little after that at
Haran. Then fourth appearance Of God to
Abram was granted This was at Bethel shortly
after Lot separated from his uncle, (l3: 14)
Abram then being 20 years old. The fifth time
at which God appeared to Abram was at Heb
ron. Us: !, 49, This was six years after God
and Abram met at Bethel. Again Abram has
a visit from God. This was also at Hebron,
when Abram was 90 years of age. The seventh
interview is the prelude 70 our lesson. (1S:1)
At the sixth interview Abrams name was
changed, and we must hereafter know the
founder of the Hebrew race as Abraham. We
do not read of God meeting Abraham before
the patriarch was 20 years old. The second
and third interviews were five years afterward
the fourth three years later; the fifth six years
later; the sixth and seventh 13 years later.
The first was at Ur, the second at Haran, the
third at Sichem, the fourth at Bethel, the fifth,
sixth and seventh at Hebron. Abraham's ages
for the seven interviews range thus: 20, IS, 70,
78, 81, 90, 90.
The former lesson related the account Of
Gods fifth interview with Abram. 1t was at
Hebron, when Abram was 81 years old. One
year after that Abram took Hagar to wife,
ZIG: 3 and in another year Ishmael was born.
Q6 49, Thirteen years pass and we are told
no Of al VI fnfn nrtyiav Of u au1
Abram. This was at Hebron, and Abram was
90 years o.d. 17:1.) The covenant was re-
newed Abrams name changed to Abraham
(5) and Sarais to Sarah (15); the rite of cir
cumcision was established; the birth Of Isaac
predicted and promised. (16) Sarah was 10
years younger than Abraham. (17 17.) Ishmael
was born in the year 209i A. NJ, being the first
child of Abram.
Gen., 17:9-14, 23-27) furnishes data as to
circumcision. Abraham was the first person
circumcised, and Ishmael the second. Except
during the travels for 40 years in the wilder
ness, Hebrews have been up to the present time
almost universally circumcised. In the cases
of infants the rite is performed on the eighth
day after the boys birth. If omitted for any
reason, it. can be performed at a later age.
Abraham was 80 years old and Ishmael 13 when
circumcised. Proseytes to the Hebrew faith,
adults that they were, received this rite. 1t
was token of the covenant" (17:11.) 1t
was the initiatOry rite into the Hebrew Church,
which was tho Mother of Christianity. Our
Savior was circumeised when eight days old.
The Greek, Roman and Episcopal branches of
the Church celebrate the Circumcision Of Christ
The first day of January is the day Of such
festival. So Keble has this eouplet:
"The year begins with Thee
And Thou beginn's st with woe."
The bodies of Christians named above hold
that baptism replaces in the Christian Church
circumcision in the Hebrew economy. Some
writers, carrying out the analogy have insisted
that baptism should be administered when each
infant is eight days old.
The scence of the present lesson is between
Hebron and Sodom, perhaps two or three miles
| from the first-named place. Three persons
| apparently men, had visited Abraham. In
truly Oriental generosity Abraham and Sarah
had entertained their guests. Allusion was
made by one of the three to Abraham as to
the child yet to be born Of Sarah. She over
heard the remarks and laughed at a suggestion
which to her was seemingly so utterly absurd
and ridiculous. One would think from her stand
| point, that her husband and guests were in
dulging simply in familiar jocoseness. When
| she found them utterly serious, and when she
heard the rebuke addressed to her husband,
but intended for her, she tried to cover her
outlines and impertinence by falsehood. We
must remember her complete embarrassment
and mitigate criticism. But the time came for
the guests to pass ON TO Sodom. Like the hos
pitable man he was he saw his guests of, going
with them little on the way and suggesting
best routes. Seeing that the destruction of
| Sodom involved Lot, the Angels thought it
their duty to tell Abraham their mission. So
the four come to halt 1t seems God, before
the Incarnation, gave Angels power to extern
pOriZe human forms when on missions to this
world. 1t it plain, too, that our Savior ap-
peared on earth repeatedly before his birth at
Bethlehem-appeared in human form. 1t is
clear, too, that one of the three guests of Abra-
ham was Christ. Connecting IL: Is, 16 and
| Is: 10, Ii, we would think Abraham himself
must have suspected that. Ono of the three
was superhuman being. There was pur-
| pose in the halt. The Angels (the LORD, Je-
| hovah) announced to Abraham the mission
| of the three to Sodom. All his old love for
Lot was aroused. If uncle and nephew had
| been at all cold toward each other, all ami
mostly on Abraham's part is forgotten. He is
very anxious. Once before he rescued Lot to
wit, from the Kings. Now he tries to save him
| from the flames soon to envelope Sodom.
| We have in the lesson one of the grandest
| illustrations on record of the power of prayer.
| 1t was the determined purpose of God to de-
| stroy the region of Sodom, seemingly without
| reference to the fact whether any righteous
persons were there as residents. 1t is strange
that a man, one man, a man of no great note, q
man not remarkable for any popular power,
that such a man could step between God and u
| settled program of God and utterly Illustrate it
by making conditions with which it might
have been possible to comply, and by which
the plan of God, as adjusted before God and that
| man met would be reversed.
| Abraham. having been informed of the mis-
sion of the three, paused in deep thought. The
destroying agents passed on toward Sodom.
! Abraham watched their footsteps. What
thoughts went through his mind! Could he
allow Lot to be destroyed and not say a word ?
| Was there anything in his power to do to save
his nephew2 He must not permit the three
to escape his sight. Something must be done
Immediately. He pursues the three. lie
shouts out TO them. They halt and he over
| takes them. What can he say or do? The
region was indeed wicked. 1t deserved its
fate But says Abraham, Suppose there be in
Sodom so persons who are righteous. There
would be special merit in being pure in such a
wicked district. viii you not give the 90 a
chance? Will you not save the region for
their sake2 Will you, TO punish the evil,
destroy the good? (Nu., 16 %; 2 Sam, "a H.
Is il not better one innocent man escape, even
though thus many wicked be saved? There
should be difference made between the good
and the evil. Will you not spare the city for
the sake of 50?" The prayer is granted. Re-
ducing the number to 45 40, 80, 90 he finally
stops at TO- If 10 righteous persons had been
found the region would have escaped ruin
Suppose Abraham had reduced the number to
one? tSee Jer., Sal job, :20.)
One may say, Abraham exceeded the Messen-
ger (Christ) in mercy But no; it was because
God knew there were not 10 pure inhabitants
there that he decided to destroy the locality.